I'd Really Love to See You Tonight
by Kiyoshi Shichiro
Summary: Things weren't going so well for Sakura. Life was turning sour. That was, until she received an unexpected call.


Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

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It was all so dark. Even the stars and the moon didn't seem as bright as they normally were. One moment it seems everything is wonderful and all is right, until the outer shell shatters and reveals nothing but darkness and ugliness.

Sakura sneered at a couple as they walked past the apartment complex, laughing. She gave the man the evil eye. What did they know. Whatever happiness they were sharing wouldn't last, and the woman would once again be alone, hopeless.

No, that was too much. It wasn't fair to assume that woman's boyfriend or fiancee was as lousy as her ex-boyfriend. _Sasuke that cheating asshole_.

Sakura had the misfortune of finding him in their training field, making out with some bimbo. She made her presence known by pulling the slut off Sasuke, then slugging him in the stomach. She paid no mind to his weezing as she left and didn't listen when he tried to tell her the other girl meant nothing to him. He had actually tried to tell her it was an accident. Like she would believe that.

_Ring_

_Ring_

She looked away from the window reluctantly to stare at her phone sitting on her counter. She really didn't feel like talking to anyone, and there was only one person on the other end of that line.

_Ring_

_Ring_

She continued to stare defiantly at the phone and it continued to beckon her. _Pick me up, answer the call. You know you want to. Just do it already._

_Ring_

_Ring_

Sakura made her way slowly from her couch with a groan, evading her coffee table and weaving around her lounge chair. She snatched the phone off it's hook bringing the receiver to her ear, hoping the person on the other end wasn't Sasuke, though it was unlikely.

"Hello?"

"Sakura-chan, hey!" Naruto's exuberant voice blurted out.

She sighed heavily into the mouth piece with relief instead of replying. There was a pause on the line, during which Sakura figured Naruto was reeling from the seemingly aggravated response to hearing his voice on the phone.

"Naruto? You still there?"

"Yeah," he said dejectedly.

He really did sound upset. Now, she was really feeling guilty. Just before she could utter a single word of apology, Naruto began to speak once more.

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

She looked back to the window she had been seated in front of only moments before, thinking about her sad life and how it was all just circling the drain. All the remorse she previously felt melted away as she began contemplating different ways to reject him softly. Not that she didn't like the prospect of going on a date with him, she just wasn't in the mood. Finally, she decided to just tell him what happened. "Sasuke and I just stopped dating. Give me some time before you start asking me out."

"You got it all wrong Sakura-chan! I'm not talking about dating. Look I know what happened between you and the teme. I know all about those things he said to you, and," he paused momentarily, and Sakura heard what she thought was a growl, "what he did. I just thought maybe you would like to walk about the village with me. You know, to have some company. That's all."

_Geez, Ino really spreads the word fast_. She hadn't expected him to know anything, but apparently stayed within the gossip circle somehow.

A smile broke her cold expression anyway and she almost said yes until she saw what time it was. "Naruto, it's nine o'clock. I'm going to bed in an hour and you should too. We have a mission tomorrow." The excuse really wasn't that sturdy, for they were trained to go quite a while without sleep. Getting four hours before a mission was just fine. So, it was no surprise when Naruto persisted.

"We won't be long. It's a warm night, there's a breeze, and there's a full moon; it's perfect for a walk, and... I'd really love to see you tonight."

A warmth spread through her as she listened to those last words. All her worries and problems fell into the background, and she began to feel like everything was going to be okay, as long as she had Naruto to stand beside her. Unfortunately, a beep interrupted their moment.

"Hold on, Naruto. There's someone on the other line." She made sure she sounded exasperated, hoping he would catch on that he was more important.

"Okay!" His exuberance was back, and she knew he understood. She hit the flash button without moving the phone from her ear.

"Sorry for my rudeness, but make this quick, I have someone to meet."

"Sakura, I know you're angry, but just listen to me for a moment," said Sasuke, and he was actually pleading.

"You have twenty seconds."

"Okay..."

"Tick-tock."

"Fine. I'm sorry about everything especially calling you a bitch, and I'm willing to forgive you for accusing me of kissing another girl if you just come back and talk with me."

"You're willing to forgive me? I only accussed you because I caught you with your tongue down her throat."

"We were sparring."

"Oh, so you tripped onto her, correct?"

"You're being ridiculous. Just come talk to me about this."

"You know what, you're right," she said with a malicious smirk, "just let me say goodbye to the person on the other line, and we'll talk."

"Who..." he began to say until his voice stopped when Sakura hit the flash button once more.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah, Sakura-chan."

"Meet me at the park. I hear the park looks beautiful at night."

"You got it, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed quite happily.

She couldn't help giggling. "See you there!"

With that, she hung up the phone, located her sandals, slipped them on, and headed out her door feeling more elated than she had in a very long time.

She looked up into the sky as she walked and noticed somehow it seemed so much brighter.

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A/N: this fic was inspired by the song "I'd really love to see you tonight" by England Dan and John Ford Coley. That is all.


End file.
